Gigabyte Puts Full Heatsink Coverage on $209 White Board

Gigabyte has released the Z890M Aorus Elite WiFi7 Ice, a white Micro ATX motherboard for Intel processors, at a $209 price point on Amazon. The board targets builders who want the features of a full-size ATX platform in a smaller chassis. It is designed specifically for Intel Core Ultra 200S Plus chips and pairs with Micro ATX cases.

The design distinguishes itself through thermal management. While many competitors in the budget tier omit cooling for the lower section of the board, this model includes full heatsink coverage. A large heatsink also protects the primary M.2 socket. Two RGB zones, located near the VRMs and under the chipset, provide lighting options.

Power delivery consists of 15 phases, with 12 dedicated to Vcore. The system uses dual 8-pin EPS connectors and 60A DrMOS parts to deliver a total of 720A. This setup supports the Core Ultra 9 285K, Core Ultra 7 270K Plus, and Core Ultra 5 250K Plus. Reviewers note that heavy overclocking on the higher-tier chips requires adequate case airflow.

Connectivity options include 2.5 GbE Ethernet and Wi-Fi 7. The wireless chip is limited to 160 MHz channels. Storage is handled by three M.2 sockets and four SATA ports. The primary M.2 socket runs at PCIe 5.0 x4, while the others operate at PCIe 4.0 x4. The board supports RAID0, 1, 5, and 10 configurations for NVMe drives. Two full-length PCIe slots are available: one at PCIe 5.0 x16 and one at PCIe 4.0 x4. A large graphics card may obstruct the second slot.

Memory support reaches DDR5-9200 in overclocked modes. Testing showed that a DDR5-8800 kit failed to function properly, while a DDR5-8200 kit ran without issues. The reviewer advises users to consult the memory Qualified Vendor List for stability. Rear I/O includes four USB 2.0 ports, four USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, and one USB4 Type-C port with DisplayPort output. A front-panel HDMI port is also available.

Performance results were average in standard benchmarks, though the board performed well in 3DMark and real-world gaming tests. The system includes AI Perfdrive for one-click CPU optimizations. The package includes two white SATA cables, a rubber pad, an extra M.2 thermal pad, and an EZ connector for front panel wiring. Tool-free installation is supported via EZ-Latch and EZ-Click M.2 mounting mechanisms.